US20110244981A1 - Remote controlled illuminated golf ball - Google Patents

Abstract

An illuminatable ball includes a sealed outer translucent shell, an inner core portion surrounded by the outer shell and a self-contained lighting device contained at least in part within the inner core portion. The lighting device includes an energy source, at least one lighting element, and an electrical circuit including a wireless receiver. The receiver receives a signal from a transmitter and provides a signal to a control circuit to switch the at least one lighting element between a deenergized state and an energized state by providing electrical energy from the energy source to the at least one lighting element. A wireless remote transmitter provides the signal to the receiver.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION DATA
• This application claims the benefit of priority of Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/319,005, filed Mar. 30, 2010.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• This invention pertains to an illuminated golf ball, more particularly, the invention pertains to an illuminatable golf ball having a remote controlled lighting device therein and a translucent cover for providing visible indication of the golf ball location.
• Golf is a truly global, incredibly and increasingly popular game. The game is so popular that it is often difficult to secure tee times at reasonable hours to be able to play through nine or eighteen holes while still playing in daylight.
• Because golf courses often have holes that average 300 to 400 yards in length and cover large areas, it is difficult, if not impossible, to illuminate an entire course to permit play at night. As such, golf is a particularly limited daytime game. Some smaller courses may be sufficiently illuminated to permit play in the evening, however, most individuals that play the game of golf would, of course, prefer to play a standard length course.
• Attempts have been made to provide golf balls that are sufficiently visible in the dark to permit evening play. One such golf ball is coated with a luminous paint, while another includes a chemiluminescent lighting device (light stick), and which may not provide a sufficiently long period of bright or strong luminescence to permit playing an entire round of evening golf. Moreover, the unequal distribution of weight in such a ball can adversely effect the balance and flight of the ball.
• Another glow-in-the-dark golf ball includes a phosphorescent or luminescent glowing element that is molded within the center of the ball. The ball includes a translucent or transparent outer cover that permits the internal luminescent element to be viewed through the outer covering of the ball. However, these golf balls suffer from the same drawbacks as those that include chemiluminescent light sticks.
• More recently, LED-based illuminated golf balls have been introduced into the market. Some of these balls have become widely accepted and are in widespread use. One example is that disclosed in Schrimmer, U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,487, which patent is commonly assigned with the present invention. The Schrimmer patent discloses two novel embodiments of illuminated golf balls. In one of the disclosed embodiments, a golf ball is self-contained, having a power source, one or more LEDs and circuitry for controlling the power to the LEDs. An impact or shaker switch completes the circuit to provide power to the LEDs when the ball is struck with sufficient force. In a second embodiment in the Schrimmer patent, a plunger is inserted into an opening in the ball to physically open a circuit (and prevent power flowing to the LEDs). Upon removal of the plunger, the LEDs illuminate (and thus the ball is illuminated) and the ball is ready for play.
• While such golf balls function well, they require either that the ball is struck to illuminate the LEDs (and the ball) or the plunger is removed to illuminate the ball.
• Game balls having lights installed therein are also known in the art. However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art and by those that play the game of golf, golf balls are subject to tremendously high impact forces during play. As such, while attempts have been made to create golf balls that will provide a sufficient amount of light such that they can be seen along a fairway in the evening, such attempts have fallen short of creating a golf ball that can withstand the tremendous impact forces and still retain the lighting device or lighting element in condition to emit light.
• Accordingly, there continues to be a need for an illuminated golf ball that emits sufficient light to permit locating the ball along a fairway at night, which ball withstands the severe impact forces and other environmental conditions to which the ball may be subjected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• An illuminatable ball includes a sealed outer translucent shell, an inner core portion surrounded by the outer shell and a self-contained lighting device contained at least in part within the inner core portion. The lighting device includes an energy source, at least one lighting element, and an electrical circuit including a wireless receiver. The receiver receives a signal from a transmitter and provides a signal to a control circuit to switch the at least one lighting element between a deenergized state and an energized state by providing electrical energy from the energy source to the at least one lighting element. A wireless remote transmitter provides the signal to the receiver.
• Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a partially broken away perspective view of an embodiment of a remote controlled illuminated golf ball in accordance with the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the golf ball ofFIG. 1 taken along line2-2 ofFIG. 1; and
• FIG. 3 is front view of a remote control unit for the golf ball.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described presently preferred embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.
• Referring now to the figures and in particular toFIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment of a remote controlledilluminated golf ball10 in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Theball10 includes anelectrical lighting device12 therein. Thelighting device12 includes at least one, and preferably two lighting elements, such as the illustrated light emitting diodes (LEDs)14. TheLEDs14 are lighted or energized by an energy source, such as one ormore batteries16, positioned in theball10. As will be apparent from the drawings, thebattery16 can be of the common, button-type, used for watches and cameras, such as a 3-volt lithium cell battery. Thebattery16 should be selected so as to provide sufficient voltage to illuminate theLEDs14 for a prolonged period of time.
• TheLEDs14 are part of an electrical circuit, indicated generally at18, that includes theLEDs14, theenergy source16,connectors20 between acircuit board22, and other electrical connectors as may be required. Unlike known electrically illuminated golf balls, thepresent ball10 includes a (wireless)receiver24 internal to theball10 for receiving a signal from a remote control unit (transmitter)26 to control the illumination of theLEDs14. That is, the transmitter26 sends a signal to thereceiver24 to control a circuit that provides or terminates power to the LEDs14 (from the power source, e.g., the battery or batteries16).
• The signal (from the transmitter26 to the receiver24) can be of any known type. For example, it is anticipated that an infrared (IR) transmitter26/receiver24 system can be used. In such a system, which is a line-of-sight system, although thegolf ball10 is formed from a translucent material28 (to allow the light from theLEDs14 to be visible through the ball10), a more translucent ortransparent window30 may be formed in theball10 to better effect the receipt of the signal from the transmitter26 by thereceiver24. Such awindow30 would be positioned between thereceiver24 and theouter shell32 of theball10.
• Another transmitter26/receiver24 system can be of the radio frequency (RF) type. The configuration and use of such a system will be understood by those skilled in the art.
• In one construction, theLEDs14,power source16, circuitry andreceiver24 are mounted within aninner core portion34 of the ball10 (seeFIG. 2). Theinner core portion34 is formed so as to maintain all of the components therein in a generally fixed position relative to one another. Alternately (as seen inFIG. 1), theLEDs14 can be positioned outside of theinner core34, as can thereceiver24. In either construction, theinner core portion34 then has molded around it theouter shell32 of theball10.
• It will be appreciated that theouter shell portion32 and, if theLEDs14 are within theinner core portion34, then both theinner core portion34 andouter shell32 are formed from a translucent material to permit light from theLEDs14 to radiate therethrough, so that the light from theLEDs14 can be viewed from outside of theball10 when the circuit is closed and thelights14 are energized. The translucent material can be, for example, a clear polyurethane material that is abrasive and cut-resistant. The material can be formed withdimples36 so that theouter shell32 resembles the outer covering of a traditional golf ball. The particular formulation of polyurethane can be selected so that the material is translucent, and has high impact and cut resistance, while at the same time maintaining other characteristics of a golf ball, e.g. the “look and feel” of a traditional golf ball.
• Manufacture or formation of thegolf ball10 is straightforward. The components of the electrical lighting device are first positioned relative to one another and theinner core portion34 is then formed around the electrical lighting device. As set forth above, theLEDs14 andreceiver24 can be positioned within theinner core34 or outside of thecore34. Theinner core34 is then held or otherwise positioned and theouter shell32 is molded around theinner core portion34. Theinner core34 is positioned so that it is centered within theouter shell32 to provide balance to theball10. As discussed above, theouter shell32 can be formed withdimples36 so that thegolf ball10 has the “look-and-feel” of a traditional golf ball.
• As will be apparent from the drawings and the disclosure above, use of thegolf ball10 is straightforward. A present transmitter26 has two buttons, an ON button or switch38 and an OFF button orswitch40. To illuminate theLEDs14, the transmitter ONbutton38 is depressed and theLEDs14 illuminate. To turn off theLEDs14, thetransmitter OFF button40 is depressed. Alternately, a single button (switch) can be used for both the power on and power off functions.
• It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the that circuitry can be configured with a timer circuit so that if theLEDs14 are illuminated for a predetermined period of time, theLEDs14 will automatically distinguish (be turned off). Such a circuit may be used to preserve the power of the power source (batteries16). It will also be appreciated that various illuminating scenarios can be used. For example, theLEDs14 may be made to flash or flicker, either full time or after a predetermined period of time. The design of such circuitry will be well understood by those skilled in the art.
• Advantageously, the present illuminatedgolf ball10 provides a number of advantages over known illuminated golf balls. First, thepresent golf ball10 can withstand severe and repeated impact and still maintain its ability to emit light. That is, after repeated impact by golf club heads as well as other impacts, the ability of thepresent golf ball10 to emit light is not affected. Thus, it is anticipated that the useful, lighted life of thegolf ball10 will not be limited as a result of impact, but will more likely be limited by loss of thegolf ball10 or loss or power (battery/batteries16 drained). Moreover, because theLEDs14 can be deenergized or turned off merely by using the remote control (transmitter26), or based on a timed circuit, the power from the battery/batteries16 can be reserved for night time use of theball10.
• Thepresent golf ball10 also withstands other environmental conditions to which a traditional golf ball may be subjected. For example, thepresent golf ball10 can be hit into a sand trap or into a water hazard without adversely affecting the ability of theball10 to emit light. That is, immersing theball10 in water has not been shown to adversely affect the ability of theLEDs14 to illuminate because the ball is sealed.
• In the event that thegolf ball10 is kept until such time as thebattery16 is drained and theLEDs14 no longer illuminate, theball10 can be used as just “another” golf ball to be used during daytime play. Those who play the game of golf will recognize that it is certainly desirable, if not necessary, to maintain a fairly substantial quantity of golf balls on hand when playing a round of golf. This is particularly true when playing on a challenging golf course.
• Although the present disclosure is directed to an illuminatedgolf ball10, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the structure and function of thepresent ball10 is readily applicable to other game balls and the like and that such other balls are within the scope and spirit of the present invention and disclosure.
• From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims (12)

1. An illuminatable ball comprising:

a sealed outer translucent shell;

an inner core portion surrounded by the outer shell;

a self-contained lighting device contained at least in part within the inner core portion, the lighting device including an energy source, at least one lighting element, and an electrical circuit including a wireless receiver, wherein the wireless receiver receives a signal from a transmitter to control a control circuit to switch the at least one lighting element between a deenergized state and an energized state for providing electrical energy from the energy source to the at least one lighting element.

2. The illuminatable golf ball in accordance with claim, including a transmitter.

3. The illuminatable golf ball in accordance withclaim 2 wherein the transmitter is wireless.

4. The illuminatable golf ball in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the wireless receiver is an IR receiver.

5. The illuminatable golf ball in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the wireless receiver is an RF receiver.

6. The illuminatable golf ball in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the self-contained lighting device is fully within the inner core portion.

7. The illuminatable golf ball in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the at least one lighting element is in the inner core portion.

8. The illuminatable golf ball system, comprising:

an illuminatable golf ball including a sealed outer translucent shell, an inner core portion surrounded by the outer shell and a self-contained lighting device contained at least in part within the inner core portion, the lighting device including an energy source, at least one lighting element, and an electrical circuit including a wireless receiver, wherein the receiver receives a signal from a transmitter to a control circuit to switch the light at least one lighting element between a deenergized state and an energized state for providing electrical energy from the energy source to the at least one lighting element; and

a transmitter separate and apart from the illuminatable golf ball.

9. The illuminatable golf ball system in accordance withclaim 8 wherein the receiver is an IR receiver and the transmitter is an IR transmitter.

10. The illuminatable golf ball system in accordance withclaim 8 wherein the receiver is an RF receiver and the transmitter is an RF transmitter.

11. The illuminatable golf ball system in accordance withclaim 8 wherein the receiver is an IR receiver and the transmitter is an IR transmitter.

12. The illuminatable golf ball system in accordance withclaim 8 wherein the self-contained lighting device is fully within the inner core portion.

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